Potential Utilization of Pineapple Waste Streams for Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Production via Batch Fermentation

Abstract

This study involves the production of a value-added product of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from pineapple cannery wastes by isolated bacterial strain of Bacillus sp. SV13 via batch fermentation process. Two carbon sources, glucose and sucrose, were used to investigate the potential of PHAs production compared to when the agro-industrial waste was used. Batch fermentation was performed in a flask scale under controlled conditions: 37°C, and 200 rpm of agitation rate. The PHAs concentration [g/L], biomass in the forms of dried cell weight (DCW) [g/L] and specific product yield (Yp/x) were determined by two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA). The results revealed that PHAs concentration, biomass, and Yp/x obtained from pineapple waste were significantly greater than the results obtained from glucose and sucrose. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) techniques were used to examine the chemical structure of PHAs. It was found that the extracted PHAs remarkably showed in the form of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB).